Dram shop laws hold commercial alcohol sellers (and in some states, social hosts) liable when they continue serving an obviously intoxicated person or a minor and that person later causes harm. The doctrine sits next to the regular DWI civil case as a parallel theory of recovery against deeper-pocket defendants than the driver alone.
Missouri has a narrow dram shop statute (RSMo § 537.053). Liability attaches only when the licensee sold alcohol to a minor or to someone who was 'visibly intoxicated' at the time of sale, and the conduct was the proximate cause of the injury. Proof requirements are demanding — visible intoxication usually requires witness or video evidence.
Illinois has a broader dram shop act (235 ILCS 5/6-21) that does not require proof of visible intoxication but caps recoveries at statutory amounts that adjust annually for inflation. The cap applies per person and per occurrence.
Practical takeaway: in a serious-injury crash involving a drunk driver who has limited insurance or assets, a dram shop investigation often produces a meaningful additional source of recovery.